Have You Heard? Noah Is Building a Huge Ark!

Who Will Heed the Warning!

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the Earth….And the Lord said I will destroy man, whom I created from the face of the Earth… But Noah found Grace in the sight of the Lord…..and Noah walked with God. The Earth also was corrupt before God, and the Earth was filled with violence. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the Earth is filled with violence through them; and behold I will destroy them with the Earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood….. And, behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the Earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein us the breath of life, from under Heaven; and everything that is in the Earth shall die. But with you (Noah) will I will establish My covenant; and you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you” (Genesis 6:5a,7a,8,10b,11,13,14a,17,18).

The world, in general, goes about their daily lives void of any understanding as to the importance of the Gospel. Noah was obedient to the Lord in building an ark that was a warning to all those alive in that day of a coming worldwide flood. In like manner, we, as the Lord’s people, bring word of a coming judgment that will befall the whole world in these last days.

All those that watched Noah build the ark had the opportunity to be saved. As we go out into this world today with the words of life, all those that will hear of God’s love for them and come His way will be saved as well.

It took Noah many years to finish the ark. The people living at that time had that amount of time to hear Noah’s preaching regarding the coming judgment and their need to repent. The Lord died for our sins almost two thousand years ago and offers us a place of refuge. Just as the Lord warned those in the time of Noah, our world has had almost two thousand years since the Lord’s first advent to hear the Gospel and repent of their ways.

Just as the people of Noah’s time did not know when the flood would come, we do not know how much longer the Lord will hold back the judgment that is certain to come on our world. The ark was a type of Christ for those living in the time of Noah. And just as those living then gave no heed to what was about to take place and only his family entered the ark of safety; I’m afraid that most of the world today is paying little attention to the signs of the times.

There came a day when it was too late for those in Noah’s time. There will soon come a time when the judgment of God will come on this rebellious world. If we are in the ark, that is, in Christ, we will not suffer judgment. Jesus paid the price at the Cross for our sins and we are safe “in Him.”

Jesus spoke of the way to the life He offers as a narrow way and that few find it. He gave the following warning which really describes exactly what happened to the people living in the time of Noah that did not heed Noah’s warning:

“Enter you in by the straight gate (that gate is Christ): for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat: because straight is the gate, and narrow the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14).

There is a wide path that leads to destruction. Those living in Noah’s time found that out. With the exception of Noah’s family, all perished. The narrow way, faith in Christ and Him Crucified, is being offered to all today, Everyone has an opportunity to accept it and be among the few. We simply need to call upon the Lord and He will save us as the following Psalm tells us:

“As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me” (Psalm 55:16).

The Heavenly Father saw our great need in that we could not save ourselves. He sent His Son to die a sacrificial death on the Cross to pay the sin debt and offers us forgiveness, and “Newness of Life” in Him. He is our ark of safety. He said, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest.” Today can be the day of Salvation. All must heed His warning and come into the ark He has provided to be saved. His love for us brought Him here from His home in Glory. His love for us was on full display at Calvary. He has done it all and calls us to believe in Him.

“…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house” (Acts 16:31).

Noah built the ark and saved his family from sure destruction. The Gospel is being preached throughout the world for the very same reason today. The question is: Who will heed the warning? If you do not know the Lord, harken to the voice of the Lord today and reach up for Him. You and your family will be safe in the arms of our loving Savior and Lord.

We will close with a beautiful verse from Isaiah. It is usually spoken of regarding those that preach the Gospel and can be referenced that way in a secondary sense, but it really refers to the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“How beautiful upon the Mountain are the feet of Him Who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims Salvation, Who says to Zion, Your God Reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)

The following prayer has been prayed by millions down through the years. If you do not know the Lord and His great love for you, I strongly encourage you to hear the Lord as He calls you into the ark of safety and pray the following:

The Sinner’s Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

I come to you in the Name of Jesus. I’m sorry for my sins. The way I’ve lived, the things I’ve done. Please forgive me. Cleanse me with your Precious Blood from all unrighteousness. With my mouth, I confess Jesus Christ. In my heart, I believe God raised Jesus from the dead, and He is alive. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as the savior of my soul. And I make Him the Lord of my life. According to your Word which cannot lie: I am washed, I am forgiven. I am saved. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and believed what you prayed, according to God’s Word, you have passed from death to life. You have been born again (born from above)! Praise the Lord.

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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The One Question God Will Ask You When You Pass From This Life!

Your Answer Will Determine Where You Spend Eternity!

Previously published 2021

When you ask someone if they think they will go to Heaven; you get a variety of answers to that question. They rarely answer that they don’t think they’ll go. But you might hear answers like, I hope so, I think so, or I’m not sure, or I’m working on it. According to the Bible, we can know that we are going to Heaven. Sadly, all the above answers are incorrect and those that give them are currently not on their way to Heaven.

Boy, that sounds kind of harsh. Maybe even a little judgmental. Well, the Lord has given us a way where we can know that we are going to Heaven, and any answer that is not in the affirmative to that question means that those that do answer that way do not know the way the Lord has provided.

There are also those that if asked if they think they are going to Heaven will answer in the affirmative but have made up their own criteria for entrance to Heaven. When pressed on why they think they would go, you will get a variety of answers to this question as well. Although the following list is not all-inclusive, you might get one of the following responses. They might say that they have lived a good life, or that they pray, or that they attend church, or that they have given to the poor, or that they have taken good care of their family. The list goes on and although these things are admirable, and things we should all strive for; those that answer this way are not ready to meet the Lord.

If we were to stand before the Lord and extol our virtues as the reason He should accept us into Heaven; His one question to us might be: “Yes, but what did you do with My Son. I sent Him to die for you on a cruel Cross. Your faith should be exclusively in My Son’s great work on the Cross. He, and He alone, paid the price.”

We know that life can be fleeting. We are guaranteed no more than today. In light of this one question that the Lord will ask of us all; shouldn’t we make sure that we have placed our faith in the One that died for us. The One Who paid the price so that we could be with Him forever.

When we pass from this life if our faith is in Jesus and His great work at the Cross, then the Lord’s Word says, “Absence from the body means present with the Lord.” When the Lord asks us, “What did you do with My Son?“, we can answer Him by saying that we have repented of our sinful ways and our trust in our virtues and ways, and made His Son, Jesus, our Lord, and Savior. His sacrificial death on the Cross paid the sin debt owed to God and opened up the way to Heaven for all those who will come the Lord’s way.

There is only one question remaining. It’s the very question the Lord will ask each of us on that day; Have we accepted the gift of Eternal Life that cost the Lord so much to provide. We can be sure that the Lord will seek to know the answer to that question when we pass from this life. Our answer to it will determine where we spend eternity! Of that, we can be sure!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

See The A,B,C’s Of Salvation page on this website. Link below.

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/5448

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Broken Cisterns That Hold No Water

A Call to the Fountain of Living Water

“For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the Fountain of Living Water and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

The Prophet Jeremiah, known as the “weeping prophet,” brought this Word from the Lord to Judah. They had forsaken the Lord, and without repentance would be overtaken and defeated by the Babylonian Empire. They could have avoided the coming destruction by heeding the Lord’s warnings and repenting of their ways, but they didn’t and suffered defeat and exile from their nation by Babylon. This sad end for the chosen people of God came approximately forty years from the time Jeremiah began his prophetic ministry.

At the time of Jeremiah’s ministry, Judah had forsaken the Lord for other gods. They never completely stopped worshiping the Lord, but incorporated other gods into their worship. They also added manmade laws to God’s Law. Cisterns are meant to hold water and the reference to broken cisterns by Jeremiah represents what happens when God’s way is not strictly adhered to.

The Lord has given us His Word so that we would know His way. He has shown us that way – the way that will lead us to the blessings the Lord wants for us and to Eternal Life with Him. We are not to add to or take away from anything in the Word of God. That is exactly what Judah did and it did not end well for them. This word of rebuke from the Lord to Judah should cause us to examine ourselves to see if we are walking in accordance with God’s ways. The Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians regarding this very thing.

“Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

We are “in the faith” by placing our faith in Christ and Him Crucified and keeping it there. Paul is stressing the importance of this by encouraging them to “prove your own selves,” to make sure their faith was in the proper object, that is, Christ and Him Crucified. He paid the price for our sin at Calvary and He is the only way to God. Our faith in Him and His sacrificial death must be for both salvation and our daily walk (sanctification). We are not saved by Grace and perfected by our own efforts. The Apostle Paul outlines what happens to us spiritually when we come to Christ. He said:

“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (not referring to water baptism) were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we should walk in Newness of Life” (Romans 6:3,4).

Paul is telling us that, spiritually, we died with Christ; that He became our substitute, and our placing our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary gives us forgiveness of sins and “Newness of Life.” In other words, spiritually, we died with Him, we were buried with Him, and His Resurrection brought us “Newness of Life” by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus spoke of this Newness of Life in the Gospel of John. He had traveled through Samaria and stopped at Jacob’s well which was located in Sychar. He was thirsty and asked a woman to give Him a drink. The woman questioned him about His request because Jews typically had no dealings with Samaritans. He answered her and said:

“If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you Living Water” (John 4:10).

The woman had lived a life of sin before this day, but by finding Jesus she found the Living Water He promises to all those that come to Him. He said that this “Living Water” when received would “be a well of water springing up into Eternal Life.” Jesus is the “gift of God.” He said the following regarding Himself to His disciples just prior to His sacrificial death:

“I am the Way, and Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).

Jesus is the Living Way that the Lord has provided. There is no other! If our faith remains in Christ and Him Crucified, we will have this “Living Water” through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit that will give us the victory that we seek as we walk out our Christian lives. If we abide in Him, we will walk in the “Newness of Life” afforded to us by our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and Resurrection.

“I (Jesus) am the Vine, you are the branches: he who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Religion Versus Relationship

Only One of These Leads to God

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin, and did clothe them” (Genesis 3:21).

Adam and Eve had sinned against the Lord. In so doing, they realized they were naked and clothed themselves with fig leaves. When they heard the Voice of the Lord walking in the Garden, they hid. They eagerly welcomed the Lord in the past, but now due to their guilt in sinning against the Lord, they hid from His Presence. The Lord, in covering them with animal skins, was showing them that the “fig leaves” were insufficient, and without the shedding of innocent blood, which was a type of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, there would be no remission of sins. The animal skins covered their sin, but the payment of the sin debt for all sin awaited Calvary. And finally, with the Lord covering them Himself; He was showing them that Salvation was completely of the Lord.

“And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground…Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord…And Abel, also brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had no respect” (Genesis 4:2-5).

Abel understood and obeyed all that the Lord had shown our first parents. He offered up a lamb as sacrifice and it was accepted by the Lord. Cain, however, offered up the fruit of his labor and the Lord rejected it. The Lord Jesus came as the “Lamb of God “ and offered up His life to pay the sin debt owed to God. Salvation comes only through faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. Salvation is all of the Lord. Our part is to come by faith in the Salvation The Lord has provided.

Religion, which is practiced by many today, is man’s efforts to please God by what he does. Cain shows us an example of that by his offering up to God the fruit of his labor. Cain and Abel represent the two ways that men have approached God from that time to this. It is either by faith (relationship) or by works (religion). The Lord paid a high price for our Salvation and it is an insult of the highest order to think that we could add anything to what He accomplished for us on the Cross.

So, we see that from the very beginning, the Lord was showing Adam and Eve, and all those who would come after them, what He required and how He would bring mankind back to right relationship with Him. We are saved by faith in His Finished Work and we are to walk out our lives by faith in His Finished Work. It is not faith plus works. It is completely by faith in God’s Provision. We can add absolutely nothing to the Lord’s perfect plan?

We are called to do good works, and certainly, the Christian disciples (e.g. Bible reading, praying, church attendance, fasting, etc) are important, but our faith must not be in these as we walk out our life. The Apostle Paul said it best, in the following verse, when he rebuked the Galatians for starting by faith and attempting to live by the works of the flesh:

“Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3).

As mentioned, the Galatians were saved by faith but were now tempted to live their lives by the flesh. This would not work for them and will not work for us. The object of our faith daily must be Christ and Him Crucified which will allow the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives (Romans 8:2). As we saw with Adam and Eve, the Lord clothed them Himself, and did it with “coats of skin.” We are clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ and we are to remember that Salvation is all of the Lord as we walk out this life by faith in His Provision.

“For therein (Christ Crucified) is the Righteousness of God revealed (Salvation is all of God) from faith to faith.: as it is written, The just shall live (daily) by faith (in Christ and Him Crucified)” (Romans 1:17 commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Who’s That Knocking at My Door?

An Open Invitation

Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into Him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

The Lord is knocking at the door of the hearts of all those that do not know Him, seeking to come in. He loves all those in the world today and it is not His desire that any should perish. Our responsibility is to hear Him knocking and open the door of our hearts wide to allow the One Who loves us entrance.

“For the Son of Man is come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 18:10).

We are in perilous times in our world today with many not seeking the Lord and lawlessness and behavior on the part of many that is diametrically opposed to the ways of the Lord. It has been nearly two thousand years since the Lord came the first time and the Bible tells us that what we see happening in the world today is a sign that we are approaching the end when the Lord will bring judgment on an evil and rebellious world. We are in the last hour. The Gospel must go out and reach all those that will heed its message of hope. The Lord is knocking! It is imperative that this Gospel be heard by all.

The Lord offers all those who come to Him in repentance and faith, forgiveness and “Newness of life” in Him. It’s amazing that the Lord of Glory seeks us out so that we might have a relationship with Him. He has done it all. All He asks of us is that we come by faith believing in Him and His atoning death at Calvary.

We must stop for a moment in our busy lives and look to the One that loves us and proved that love on the Cross of Calvary. We must listen with our hearts to His call. He calls us to Himself to save us from our fallen nature and give us the gift of eternal life with Him.

The two thousand years since His first coming has been a time of Grace that has resulted in the salvation of millions, and millions, of people who have heard and answered His call. The call to those that have not come to Him becomes more and more urgent as the time of the end approaches. Judgment will come to all those that do not answer His call. We can know that we have passed from death to life right at this moment by opening our hearts to Him. It’s an open invitation to the greatest life we could ever know. Who’s that knocking at your door? It’s the Lord of Glory!!

“As for me, I will shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me” (Psalm 55:16).

The following prayer has been prayed by millions down through the years. If you do not know the Lord and His great love for you, I strongly encourage you to hear the Lord as He knocks at the door of your heart and answer His call by praying the following:

The Sinner’s Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

I come to you in the Name of Jesus. I’m sorry for my sins. The way I’ve lived, the things I’ve done. Please forgive me. Cleanse me with your Precious Blood from all unrighteousness. With my mouth, I confess Jesus Christ. In my heart, I believe God raised Jesus from the dead, and He is alive. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as the savior of my soul. And I make Him the Lord of my life. According to your Word which cannot lie: I am washed, I am forgiven. I am saved. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and believed what you prayed, according to God’s Word, you have passed from death to life. You have been born again (born from above)! Praise the Lord.

“That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”

“For with the heart man believes unto Righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9,10).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries -tqministries.com 2023

Are We There Yet?

The Soon Coming Rapture of the Church

“Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Our introductory verse is referring to the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The Lord will come for His church prior to the judgment that is coming on this world. The Bible clearly tells us that the Lord will judge this world for rejecting the Salvation He freely offers to all those that come in repentance and faith. Many of the signs that the Bible says will occur prior to His return are beginning to manifest. The Lord of Glory came to Earth as a Man, the God/Man, two thousand years ago, to offer mercy and His Grace to a fallen and sinful world. The following verse is a reference to that incredible event:

“For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11).

The Lord came the first time as our Savior offering His life for us on the Cross to pay the sin debt owed to God. He comes in His Second Advent as a judge. During the church age, His mercy and abundant Grace has been available to all those that call upon His Name. The Lord has promised to come for those who love Him and are anxiously awaiting His return for His church. The Lord has prepared a place for us in Heaven and will return for us so that we might be with Him forever. The following words spoken by the Lord prior to His crucifixion give us a sure hope:

“In My Father’s House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2,3)

The world has had ample warning. Most of those alive today are not looking for His return. Our world is currently in turmoil. I believe that what we are seeing today as regards lawlessness and the total disregard for the Lord’s ways are signs of His imminent return. The Lord always gives a warning prior to bringing judgment. He has done that in the past with Israel as a nation, and I believe He is doing that at this present time. I believe that He is allowing Satan certain latitude due to the fact that the world as a whole has rejected Him. This is evidenced by all the aberrant behavior that is being practiced today. We are in a time of warning from the Lord – a call to repentance.

Our own nation of America is currently casting the Lord aside and allowing for the practice of very ungodly ways. Romans chapter 1 shows us the downward spiral of any people, or nation, that turns away from following the Lord. The Lord gives them over to the evil they have chosen to allow. He gives them over to a “reprobate mind” to do ungodly things because they have chosen to exclude the Lord and His ways.

The Lord is coming. We can be absolutely sure of this. The question for all those in the world today is; Will we take part in the Rapture of the church, or will we experience the judgment of this world in His Second Coming? The Lord extends His mercy and His Grace to us today. Our “Blessed Hope” will soon be a reality. The following verses tell us exactly what will happen when the Lord returns for those that are awaiting His coming:

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).

Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (2 Thessalonians 4:18).

Are we there yet? Almost, Saints! The “Blessed Hope” is a promise from the Lord to His church. We can know without a doubt that as times wind down, and wickedness increases, our Lord’s coming is near. He will come for us prior to the judgment He will bring on a world that rejects Him. The Lord does not wish that any should perish. Today is the day of Salvation! Tomorrow comes judgment. Maranatha!!

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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David Used a New Cart

A Really, Really, Bad Idea

“And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader……Let us bring again the Ark of God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people” (1 Chronicles 13:1,3,4).

The Ark of God had been abandoned and left standing in a field. It had not been inquired of in 70 years and David found it and wanted to bring it to Jerusalem. He consulted men on this and not God which, as we will see, resulted in disaster. We are to seek the Lord and His ways in all that we do.

“So David gathered all Israel together… to bring up thence the Ark of the Lord, Who dwells between the Cherubim, Whose Name is called on it” (verses 13:5a,6b).

David was bringing the Ark of God to Jerusalem so that it could be inquired of, yet he did not consult the Lord at all regarding this. The ark represented the very Presence of God. He resided between the Cherubim over the Mercy Seat. Moving the Ark of God was the right thing to do, but it was not being done in the way the Lord had instructed Israel to do it.

“And they carried the Ark of God in a new cart….and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. And David and all Israel played before the Lord with all their might, and with singing, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets” (verses 7,8).

At a point in time within the 70 years that the Ark of God had not been consulted, it had been captured by the Philistines. The Lord judged them for this and they sent the ark back to Israel on a new cart. Why David decided to use a new cart, we do not know. But the Philistine’s use of the new cart may have played a part in his decision to use it. The Ark of God was to be carried on the shoulders of the priests when it was moved, and not on a cart. Again, this was clearly spelled out in God’s Word.

“And when they came unto the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the Ark; for the oxen had stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and He smote him, because he put his hand on the Ark: and there he died before the Lord(verses 9,10).

Again, the Word of God was not consulted and this ended in the death of Uzza. The Bible says David was “afraid of God that day.” A man was dead because the Lord’s Word was ignored. The Bible tells us that David did consult the Word of God after this and the Ark was brought to Jerusalem. But initially, it seems that Uzzah and everyone else was depending on David to know the right way to bring the ark to Jerusalem. They, like David, did not seek the Lord’s way to carry the ark. This was a grave error. This terrible end could have been avoided if they had only sought the Lord first.

We can learn some valuable lessons from this account. Salvation is all of the Lord. He does not need our help. Also, we are to seek the Lord ourselves and not depend on anyone else. We all want godly pastors, but in the end we are responsible before the Lord for following His Word. There are many in Hell today because they trusted in others to show them the way. We are responsible to the Lord for our own Salvation. The Lord’s way is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. This is where our faith must be daily. If we move our faith to anything else; we are depending on a “new cart.” The Holy Spirit will keep us on the right road, so to speak, as we place our faith in the Lord and His great sacrifice at the Cross.

As previously stated, there is a happy ending to this story. David did bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. He did it the Lord’s way which was to have the ark carried on the shoulders of the priests as the following verses tell us:

“So David, and all the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Obed-Edom with joy. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites who bore the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and rams. Thus all Israel brought up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making noise with psalteries and harps” (verses 25,26,28).

These sacrifices, and all those offered up in the Old Testament, represented the coming Redeemer and His shed Blood at Calvary which paid the sin debt owed for you and me. New carts are widespread in the church world today. We must be vigilant in our pursuit of the Lord and His ways. Again, placing our faith in anything other than Christ and Him Crucified for our Salvation, or for our Sanctification, represents a “new cart,” and that will not end well.

“Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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God’s Lost and Found

It’s Located in the Hearts of All Mankind

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

If we go out shopping and lose something of value; we return to the place we believe we have lost it and search for it. And when we find the lost item we rejoice. Well, due to what was lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden; we are the lost something of great value, and the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, seeks us out in order that we may be found. When we do come to the Lord His Word says that there is rejoicing in Heaven (Luke 15:7). The Lord, by way of the Holy Spirit, looks at the heart. When the Word of God speaks of the heart it is not speaking of our physical organ but of our soul and spirit – our inner being. The Holy Spirit draws us and convicts us of our lostness looking for a heart response from us towards Him.

“…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).

Men look on the externals while the Lord looks upon our hearts. When the Gospel is heard: How will we respond? It was said of David that he was a man after God’s own heart. He made some serious mistakes in his life, but he was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and when he did err sought forgiveness and sought the Lord’s will. What would the Lord say regarding us? Are our hearts seeking the Lord and His Righteousness? Has Heaven rejoiced because we have been found? As the following verse tells us there is a way that seems right, but it is not the way of the Lord:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 16:25)

Many today, if they do seek the Lord, believe that we must live good lives and the good in our lives must outway the bad to be acceptable to the Lord. While living good lives is certainly the way we should live, that alone will not gain us a relationship with the Lord nor will it result in our going to Heaven. There is only one way to know the Lord in Salvation, knowing that we have passed from death (lost) to life (found). We are to acknowledge the drawing and convicting power of the Holy Spirit, repent of the way we have been going, and with our hearts believe in the salvation the Lord has provided. The following verse says it well:

“That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Our Salvation is completely of the Lord, and it is by faith. We come by faith just as we are and the Lord accepts us. The following verse tells us that when we believe in the Lord Jesus and his sacrificial death on the Cross the Lord imputes to us His Righteousness.

“For with the heart man believes unto Righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation” (Romans 10:10).

We are to trust in the Lord, not ourselves. We were “lost” and unable to save ourselves. The Lord loved us and showed His mercy and Grace towards us by becoming a Man, the God/Man, and dying on the Cross so that we might be “found.” Our search for the Lord ends at the Cross. Our Great Shepherd calls out to us with the following:

“Come unto me (Jesus) all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Jesus is speaking here of the Salvation and rest that comes only through faith in Him and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We trust in the Lord with our whole heart and he saves us and leads us. We were lost, but God considered us of great value and pursued us giving His life as a ransom for our souls. What an amazing Grace that the lover of our soul has provided. Our hearts cry out in thanksgiving to the Living God. As John Newton’s beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” proclaims: I once was lost, but now I’m found!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see

Composed by John Newton in 1772

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

Some Shall Depart From the Faith

The Times in Which We Now Live

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (demons)” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Departing from the faith means departing from Jesus Christ and Him crucified as the only way to Salvation and the only way to victory in our daily lives. We are saved by faith and we are kept by faith. Any time a departure from the faith occurs it will involve seducing spirits. Satan is after our faith. He introduces doctrines of demons into the church to divert our faith to other things. If he can be successful in compromising our faith then we will not walk in the victory we so want in our lives. Peter exhorts us to be aware of, and vigilant against the schemes of the Devil:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom He may devour” (1 Peter 5:8,9).

The Devil is a powerful adversary, but the Holy Spirit is our Divine Helper. In our introductory verse, the Holy Spirit is pointing out and warning against this departure from the faith in latter times. This is speaking of the times we are now living in. The Holy Spirit works exclusively through the finished work of Christ. Our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives (Romans 8:2). The church at Galatia was being tempted to move their faith from solely in Christ, as the Apostle Paul had taught them, to Law. Paul addresses this in the following verse:

“I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him (the Holy Spirit) Who called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but thereby some who trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6,7).

Those troubling the Galatians were Judaizers who had come from Jerusalem and told them that along with faith in Christ, they must obey the Law and be circumcised. Paul comes against this strongly in his epistle to them. If we add anything to our faith in Christ and the Cross we have perverted the Gospel. Satan’s aim is to corrupt our faith. We are saved by faith which allows the Holy Spirit to come into us and by continued faith in the Cross to change us into the image of Christ. We are not suggesting sinless perfection but living a victorious life by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul said the following strong words in standing against this false gospel brought in by the Judaizers:

“But though we or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

We are to be aware of Satan’s tactics and are to stand fast in the faith. Our victory is assured as we walk out this life by faith, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. There are many false doctrines and false ways circulating in the church today. How can we protect ourselves from going a wrong way? How can we avoid the trap of seducing spirits tempting us with doctrines of demons? There is only one way. We are to make Jesus Christ and Him crucified the object of our faith. When we do this we will be able to recognize false doctrine for what it is, and the Holy Spirit will lead us in our daily walk with the Lord. We are in a spiritual battle and we are to stand fast in the faith.

Watch ye (a military command, be vigilant), stand fast in the Faith (don’t let the devil move your faith from the Cross to other things), quit you like men (act like nature men), be strong (strong in the faith, which makes one strong against the Devil)” (1Corinthians 16:13 with ESB commentary).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

Fighting the Good Fight

Victory and Liberty Are Mine

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on Eternal Life, whereunto you are also called….” (1 Timothy 6:12).

When we hear the admonition to “fight the good fight” it may bring to mind the picture of a boxer in the ring exerting all his physical strength against a worthy opponent. In the natural, this is how we must fight if confronted with a physical threat, but this is not how we walk out this life spiritually.

“Examine yourself whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves (make sure)..” 1 Corinthians 13:5).

At first glance, this seems like an odd thing for the Apostle Paul to write to those that are Christians. However, the Corinthian church was allowing sin to continue in the church and Paul sent this letter as a call to repentance. Just as our boxer must prepare for the encounter and believe that he is able to be victorious against his opponent, we must “examine ourselves” to make sure that our faith is properly placed in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. Our victory against the world, the flesh, and the devil are totally dependent on it. We must examine ourselves daily to make sure our faith is in Christ and Him crucified.

I’ve heard it said that some Christians are miserably saved. What is meant by this is that they live a life of failure because their faith is in something other than Christ for their daily Christian walk. There are only two places we can have our faith in as we walk out our Christian lie – faith or works. If we are trusting in anything other than Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross then we are trusting in works and it will result in failure. The Christian disciplines such as reading the Bible, praying, and attending church are all things we should do, but they will not bring us the victory we seek. We “lay hold of Eternal Life” through continued faith in Christ and the Cross. When we do this we are walking in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit will help us.

“Thus I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

The Lord Jesus paid the price for us at Calvary. If we could have victory in our lives in any other way, then He need not have died on the Cross. His death on the Cross not only paid the sin debt owed but gives us victory and liberty in our daily lives. If we walk out this life any other way then we are depending on our own efforts which will only result in failure and bondage. Paul encouraged the church at Galatia to stand in the liberty that Christ provides in the following verse:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again by the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).

We are “called” to follow Christ. We follow Him by examining ourselves making sure we are “in the faith,” by fighting the good fight of faith, and by standing fast in the liberty which Christ paid the high price to gain for us. We do all this by anchoring our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God…… The Lord has won the victory and we need only come to Him in faith.

“But thanks be to God, which gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023